March 16, 2011
ATLANTA – The 21st-ranked Georgia Tech baseball team used an eight-run second inning to defeat Georgia Southern, 12-3, Wednesday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium.
The Yellow Jackets improved to 14-4 overall, and 3-1 against Georgia Southern (11-7) this season. Tech extended its winning streak to nine games.
Freshman Kyle Wren, whose .438 batting average led the Atlantic Coast Conference entering the midweek, was a perfect 4-for-4 with an RBI on the day. The leadoff hitter also scored four runs to pace the Jackets.
Freshmen Daniel Palka and Zane Evans each chipped in with a pair of hits and three RBI as Georgia Tech reached double-digits in scoring for the third time this season. Both of Evans’ hits were doubles.
Freshman Dusty Isaacs (1-0) earned the win on the mound in his first career start, allowing one run on one hit in two innings of work. Isaacs, working on a limited pitch count, struck out four of the seven batters he faced.
He was one of 10 different pitchers used by the Jackets in a staff day. The nine relievers yielded just six hits and no earned runs over the final seven innings.
Tech fell behind early for the second straight day, as Georgia Southern’s Steve Cochrane singled to left field with two-outs in the top of the first for a 1-0 lead.
The Jackets responded in the bottom half on a two-out double by Palka to right field to even the tally.
Tech would then go on a rant in the second inning, scoring eight runs on six hits for a 9-1 lead. Six different players recorded a hit in the inning, highlighted by Evans’ two-RBI double to right field.
The Jackets chased Georgia Southern starter Will Middour for seven of the runs, as the freshman right-hander fell to 1-1 on the season after lasting just 1.1 innings.
Evans’ second double of the game followed an RBI double by junior Matt Skole to push the lead to 11-1 in the third, before Palka closed out the scoring in the fifth on a RBI single to right field.
Georgia Southern scored two unearned runs in the top half of the inning on singles by Sean Payne and Eric Phillips for the visiting team’s final two runs.
The Jackets will continue ACC play this weekend, hosting NC State for a three-game series at Russ Chandler Stadium. Game times are Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
